Telstra opens pre-orders for the LG Optimus G
LG's so-called "superphone", the Optimus G, is heading to Telstra on March 12, but the telco knows you can't wait that long.
Pre-orders are now open for the new Android-powered smartphone, which will be available for AU$0 upfront on a $60 plan. This is the cheapest plan Telstra currently offers.
A phone with the works
The phone runs on Android Jelly Bean, and supports the new Miracast wireless media streaming protocol.
If these are not good enough reasons to part with your cash before the release date, Tesltra and LG are also giving away a trip to Melbourne for the F1 worth $25,000. To enter you simply need to pre-order an Optimus G.
The Optimus G will face stiff competition when it finally lands in Australia, with the new HTC One, the Sony Xperia Z hitting stores and the same time, and the Samsung Galaxy S4 to be announced on March 14.
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Google apparently has Android angst, thanks to Samsung
There's reportedly a disturbance in the Android force, one that's got Google shaking in its Chrome-toed boots.
Samsung is said to be the progenitor of Mountain View's angst as the Galaxy maker continues to overshadow the rest of Android market.
Great news for the operating system and mobile ad revenues, but not so much for Google.
The news comes from the Wall Street Journal, which cited a 2012 meeting in which Andy Rubin, head of Android, extolled Samsung's success on the platform but warned that Google could find itself in an undesirable position if Samsung got a little too far ahead of its competitors.
What gives?
Samsung accounted for 39.6 percent of the global smartphone market last year, with most of those devices running some version of Android. Other Android makers - HTC, to name one - are struggling to stay afloat against the South Korean manufacturer and Apple.
According to the Journal, the fear is that as the top dog, Samsung may see space to demand more of Google than it would as a junior player.
Even more worrisome is the possibility that, like Amazon, Samsung could develop a homemade OS that borrows heavily from Google's system, creating a direct and likely gutsy competitor.
However, Google has a plan in place to slow Samsung, one that centers around Motorola Mobility. Rubin went so far as to call the purchase a hedge against Samsung's growing power.
Products made by Motorola under Google don't yet hold a candle to Samsung, yet there is hope, especially if future additions to the Nexus line and rumore X Phone give Google an edge on hardware.
How much longer these two are able to play nice will make for good viewing, too.
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Apple's iOS 6.1.3 update set to kill evasi0n untethered jailbreak
The iOS 6.1.3 beta 2 update from Apple won't work with evasi0n, according to one of the developers behind the untethered jailbreak for iPhone 5 and newer iOS devices.
Apple's latest beta, which the company began pushing to iOS developers late last week, patches one of the five bugs that the evasi0n jailbreak exploits, evasi0n creator David Wang told Forbes.
"If one of the vulnerabilities doesn't work, evasi0n doesn't work," Wang said.
"We could replace that part with a different vulnerability, but [Apple] will probably fix most if not all of the bugs we've used when 6.1.3 comes out."
Untethered jailbreak cat-and-mouse game
Apple's undoing of the three-week-old untethered jailbreak doesn't mean this is the end of the jailbreak store Cydia or custom software on iOS devices.
Wang told Forbes that his team of "evad3rs" found other bugs in the iOS platform besides the aforementioned five exploits, and could build an entirely new jailbreak based on them.
Yes, Apple's move looks like it will be just the latest update in the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between the Cupertino company and the jailbreak community.
iOS 6.1.3 lockscreen fix
As the first untethered iOS 6 jailbreak, evasi0n was downloaded 270,000 times as soon as it went live. It continued to break records with almost 7 million downloads over the next four days.
While avid users of Cydia will want to avoid updating, the iOS 6.1.3 patch may be essential for other security-focused iPhone and iPad users.
Besides patching one of the five exploits used by the evasi0n untethered jailbreak, the iOS 6.1.3 update is set to fix the persistent lockscreen bug.
Even though Apple knew about this lockscreen bug before it released the iOS 6.1.2 update, users can still bypass the not-so-secure lockscreen without entering the "required" four-digit keycode.
Once again, the benefits of jailbreaking an iOS device come with giving up a little bit of security.
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Qualcomm and doubleTwist bond over Android media streaming
As much as you might love using an Android phone, there are a few things which as still easier with Apples. Media streaming is a prime example, thanks to Apple's AirPlay protocol.
This could change, if a new project partnership between chip-maker Qualcomm and music player doubleTwist bears fruit. Together they have created MagicPlay, a new open-standard streaming protocol which they are hoping OEMs will incorporate into the next generation of Android smartphones and tablets.
The MagicPlay technology is actually based on an older Qualcomm wireless concept called AllJoyn, which connects compatible (read: Qualcomm) chips creating peer-to-peer networks over short distances.
Wireless connectivity is something doubleTwist knows a thing or two about, having created th successful AirTwist wireless media syncing tool to complement the standard doubleTwist media player for Android phones. AirTwist connects with a client installed on PCs and updates the media library on your phone, so that you always have the most up-to-date music to listen to.
Any takers?
From here, Qualcomm will begin the uphill battle selling MagicPlay to the manufacturers and trying to convince them to use MagicPlay in their media apps rather than the older (and clunkier) DLNA protocol and the new (and considerably more streamlined) Miracast.
Either way, it's a win for consumers. After years of wishing the latest droid could dock and stream like the iPhone, we may finially see something resembling a standard that all the manufacturers can embrace; both in phones and in their home theatres and TVs, too.
Via CNET
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Visa, Samsung ink global NFC deal in what could signal Galaxy S4 feature
Near Field Communication (NFC) is steadily gaining popularity, but not fast enough for some people.
In fact, Visa and Samsung announced today a global alliance to accelerate the spread of NFC technology on mobile devices.
With the agreement, Samsung will start preloading Visa's contactless payment applet, payWave, onto "selected next-generation" NFC devices. Maybe we'll even see payWave on the soon to be announced Galaxy S4.
"The partnership with Visa represents a step towards a global mobile payment platform," Won-Pyo Hong, president of Samsung's Media Solution Center, said in a press release.
"We believe that we have a strong value proposition for financial institutions that will ultimately allow consumer choice in NFC payments."
Near field companies
The deal also greases the way for financial institutions to use Visa's Mobile Provisioning Service on Samsung's smartphones.
The system lets banks more easily and securely link Visa payment accounts to consumers' devices. It gives mobile phone users and services access to a secure mobile payment infrastructure without having to create their own payment apps or channels to exchange money.
If Visa's Mobile Provisioning Service gains enough traction it could provide the launchpad for the NFC revolution, though the service debuted a year ago at MWC 2012 without much fanfare.
NFC is nothing new, but it's a technology that has struggled to gain traction. Many companies have been interested in developing NFC as a commerce tool, and as an alternative to credit cards.
Companies such as AT&T, Google and PayPal have been trying to grow a mobile payment NFC infrastructure by offering digital wallet apps and encouraging businesses to invest in NFC payment stations. However, it's been slow going.
Though the deployment of NFC is slowly gaining ground, Visa is betting it will eventually be embraced by the public at large. In the press release, the card company sited an ABI Research forecast that predicts around 1.95 billion NFC-enable devices will ship in 2017.
With partnerships between Visa and Samsung and payment apps like Isis popping up, we may just get past the NFC tipping point.
The Galaxy S4, set to debut during a NYC event March 14, could provide the mobile commerce industry a much needed boost.
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Barnes & Noble founder pondering retail buyback, future of Nook unclear
While Barnes & Noble is already preparing for the worst with the expected losses this year on its line of Nook tablets and e-readers, the company may send the Kindle Fire HD competitor off on its own in what could be its final days.
The company indicated chairman and majority shareholder Leonard Riggio has proposed a buyback of the retail portion of the company, giving some the idea the bookstore and the Nook may soon part ways.
Though B&N has already refuted claims it's planning to ditch the Nook entirely, Riggio's plan submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicated he's prepared to purchase the brick-and-mortar stores, and makes no mention of bringing the Nook along with it.
The goose is Nook'd
It wasn't that long ago that things were looking up for the Nook, what with Microsoft's $300 million dollar investment in the platform.
Unfortunately, the device posted a $262 million loss in 2012, with Barnes & Noble expecting to lose even more in 2013.
Unable to keep pace with more popular devices like the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD, the most recent launches of the Nook HD and Nook HD+ may have been too little too late.
Barnes & Noble has created a special committee consisting of board directors David G. Golden, David A. Wilson, and Patricia L. Higgins to review Riggio's proposal, which will be advised by Evercore Partners and the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.
Though nothing is set in stone and the bookseller can reject or negotiate the proposal, it will be interesting to see if the company does decide to spin the Nook off into its own branch.
TechRadar asked Barnes & Noble for comment on the proposal and the possible future of the Nook, and will update this story when we learn more.
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Anger as Facebook bans Instagram-like Vintage Camera app
Facebook has today been accused of unfairly favouring Instagram after banning photo uploads from a popular rival iPhone app.
The makers of Vintage Camera, which like Facebook-owned Instagram allows users to add retro-style filters to photos, were recently shocked to hear the social network had restricted uploads from the app.
When developers Presselite appealed, Facebook cited "negative feedback from users and their friends" and said it would not be restoring functionality to the app, which has an estimated 8 million users.
The ban, according to Presselite, is despite Vintage Camera receiving only one negative report per 1,000 images the community of users had uploaded.
Bad influence?
The French company suspects foul play and suggested that Facebook may be seeking to eliminate rival services that may potentially pose a threat to Instagram.
Co-founder Antoine Morcos said in a statement: "We don't understand how Facebook could block the access to millions of users of the Vintage Camera application who want to share their photos on Facebook, only because of a few negative feedback reports
"As you all know, Facebook has acquired the Instagram photo-sharing application, and we hope this acquisition is not influencing this kind of access limitation for other photo applications."
Facebook: App had been warned
In response, Facebook told the BBC that Vintage Camera had been subject to several warnings before its access was restricted and had chances to fall in line with its policies.
The social network said: "Pending on the violation, we give developers an opportunity to come into compliance via a warning system.
"In the case of this application, the application was not in compliance with our platform policies and had received three warnings prior to our systems taking action on the application."
TechRadar asked Facebook for further clarification and will update this story if and when a response is forthcoming.
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Shazam celebrates 300 million users with new tablet apps
Shazam, the music-tagging app that tells you what you're listening to so you don't have to Google the lyrics, has surpassed 300 million users worldwide, the company announced today.
That's no small feat - according to a report from Strategy Analytics, there are a little more than 1 billion smartphone users as of October 2012.
Any app used by almost a third of smartphone users can probably be considered a success.
To celebrate, Shazam announced plans to release redesigned apps for iPads and Android tablets "in the coming weeks."
More social than ever
We still use Shazam mainly to find out the names of whatever annoying new songs are playing on the radio and in bars, but the company announced that the new Shazam tablet apps will make social and mapping features more prominent.
Users of the new Shazam apps will be able to view activity streams to find out what songs and TV shows are being tagged most often and see what people are tagging in any city in the world.
Shazam CEO Andrew Fisher called it "the most efficient way to experience more of the media around you" in a press release.
The app will include a newly redesigned home screen that emphasizes social features, an interactive map that shows tags around the world, improved friend features, faster tagging, automatic re-submission if your initial tag attempts fail due to poor reception, and better integration with other social networks for easier sharing via Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Gmail.
Free users get some too
Shazam also announced that users of the free version of the app will get some nice bonuses soon as well: faster tagging and lyrics display for tagged songs.
The press release also mentioned that the iOS Shazam app is universal, so it seems as if the incoming iPad update will work on iPhones and iPods as well.
No word on whether the same applies to Android devices, but TechRadar asked Shazam to find out and we'll update this story when we hear more.
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Zynga shutters and consolidates CityVille 2, Words with Friends studios
Zynga, once the leader in social gaming, has been hit by even more tough times as it shutters and consolidates its studios in Maryland, Texas, and New York.
Chief Operating Officer David Ko announced that Zynga's offices in McKinney and downtown Austin, Texas have been closed, with those teams set to relocate to offices in Dallas and North Austin.
The company's New York offices are also consolidating, with all staff moving to Zynga mobile studio in New York City.
Zynga is also shuttering its Baltimore studio, saying that all staff who requested a transfer have been relocated to Zynga's other studio sites.
Zynga in decline
While the changes appear to consist mostly of staff being shifted so that Zynga has fewer offices to manage, the offices in question are significant.
Zynga's now-closed Austin studio was best known for the With Friends series. Words with Friends co-creators Paul and David Bettner already departed from Zynga in October 2012.
Meanwhile, the closed Baltimore offices created CityVille 2, the social game sequel which Zynga closed down earlier this month, a mere five months after it launched last year. Brian Reynolds, former head of the Baltimore studio, left Zynga in January.
The New York City mobile studio is home to Draw Something developer OMGPOP, the acquisition of which Zynga was forced to write off as a $95 million (UK£60 million, AU$91 million) loss.
According to Ko, the reorganization, "will further enable us to focus our resources on our most strategic opportunities."
He added, "We still have a lot of work to do, but I'm confident that we're on the right path to deliver on the potential of Zynga."
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Windows Phone: Will 130,000 apps be enough to spark Nokia revival?
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Ask an Android or iPhone loyalist why they aren't considering a switch to Windows Phone 8 and they'll probably reference the inferior app catalogue.
Well, if those same skeptics were to ask Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, he'd tell them that users of Microsoft's new operating system now have 130,000 applications at their fingertips.
That's exactly what Elop did during Nokia's MWC 2013 keynote in Barcelona, where the Finnish company unveiled the affordable, mid-range Lumia 720 and Lumia 520 Windows Phone 8 devices.
Speaking on Microsoft's behalf Elop said: "Today we are proud to announce that we have achieved the level of 130,000 Windows Phone applications. That's 130,000 applications tailor made for the Windows Phone experience."
Quality and quantity
Of course, the figure still pales in comparison to iOS and Android - which are both hovering around the 750,000 mark - but it does represent solid progress for Microsoft in its attempts to attract the developer community.
Despite referencing the numbers, Elop still believes that it's more about the quality of the applications that have arrived as well as those Microsoft and Nokia are working to bring to the WP platform.
"Together with Microsoft we are bring unique experiences from some of the world's top brands to our phones. It is more than just about the volume of applications, we are also focussed on the quality of the application experience," Elop said.
"We are opening up our core technologies and APIs in areas like imaging and location-based service to the developers. We believe that access to these capabilities will inspire never before seen applications that will be unique to Nokia."
Nokia is hoping to crack the lower end of the market - an area where it has enjoyed the majority of its success - with its new Lumia 720 and Lumia 520 handsets, and open up Windows Phone 8 to a new group of consumers. Hopefully for both companies, an end to the app stigma will do the trick.
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Intel outlines dual-core Clover Trail+ processor at MWC
Discussed briefly at CES 2013, Intel's Clover Trail+ dual-core processor (Z2580) was revealed as the next step in the company's Atom smartphone chips.
A direct successor to the 32nm Medfield line of processors, the Clover Trail+ adds a second CPU core to the chip, improving graphics and performance along the way.
The Clover Trail+ will be released as three new SKUs - the 2.0GHz Z2580, the 1.6GHz Z2560, and the 1.2GHz Z2520.
Each of the chips will also include two PowerVR SGX 544MP2 GPUs, and combined with the above benchmarks, should equate to more competitive performance, though the battery life still won't be as impressive as some smaller processors.
Improvements abound
The upgrades the Clover Trail+ presents aren't just limited to performance, as it also allows for more hardware improvements.
The latest Atom chips will include support for two cameras, with the primary lens able to capture up to 16MP images, and the second camera supported up to 2MP.
Shooting in HDR will also be slightly better with the new Clover Trail+, as blur and ghosting will be reduced thanks to almost entirely re-written firmware.
That same new firmware also adds the ability to select headshots from multiple takes of the same photo so you can create single images where everyone is more photogenic.
The GPU will provide support for screen resolution up to 1920 x 1200, which should bolster support for Intel's chip in new tablets, as well as smartphones.
Still no LTE
Even though Intel has also updated the silicon in the chips to XMM 6360, which provides HSPA+ antenna capabilities, the company still hasn't made the jump to LTE-friendly silicon.
The XMM 6360 includes a pentaband transceiver, and features 42Mbps DC-HSPA+ support, as well as 11.5 Mbps HSUPA support.
Intel did promise actual LTE support by the end of 2013 via its Bay Trail processors, but those aren't expected until the holiday season.
While the Lenovo IdeaPhone K900 and Motorola Razr i are already on board to support the new Intel processors, Intel is still lacking that major name to help it overtake rivals like Qualcom and ARM.
The Clover Trail+ appears to be a strong effort from the manufacturer, but only time, and supporting smartphone and tablet companies, will tell if Intel can match up with more established chips from competitors.
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Nokia exec says Lumia 520 isn't the cheapest the range can go
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The rumors were true - Nokia seized the global stage at Mobile World Congress this week to announce a new line of super affordable phones, including the Lumia 520.
But one Nokia executive on the convention floor revealed that even cheaper Lumia devices are a possibility.
Nokia's Hans Henrik Lund, vice president of smart devices marketing, spilled the beans to CNET.
The Lumia 520 was announced at the start of MWC at a cool €139 (US$183, UK£121, AU$178) price point, but Lund reportedly said that's "not the lowest price point we can get to."
Nokia's hitting every price point
With its onset of Windows Phone 8 smartphones like the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920, Nokia has been focusing on the high end of the price spectrum.
But that changed on Monday when the Finnish phone company introduced the Lumia 520, Lumia 720, Nokia 105, and Nokia 301 to the world.
Astute readers will notice the lack of a "Lumia" in those last two names, and that's because they're not part of the Lumia line at all - they're not even smartphones, in fact.
Between the new Lumia devices and the ultra-cheap feature phones (the Nokia 105 is only €15 [US$20, UK£13, AU$19] and lasts a month on one charge), Nokia is trying to bring Windows Phone to the masses and put the fun back in feature phones.
Context clues
It's unclear from the statements reported by CNET exactly what Lund was referring to when he said that the price could go lower, but given the context and the site's other details it does seem he was referring to cheaper Lumia devices.
Lund did explain that Nokia will likely stick with the multi-hued, polycarbonate motif for the time being.
As far as future devices, he didn't offer anything concrete, but said, "We see our future in having a family including devices at all price points." That's certainly been evident in its MWC announcements so far.
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Sony commits to Firefox OS, promises first device in 2014
Sony has thrown its considerable weight behind the new Mozilla Firefox mobile operating system, promising to launch its first device on the open source platform next year.
The Japanese manufacturer has teamed up with network Telefonica (which owns O2 in the U.K.) with the aim of bringing a device (or devices) running the HTML5-friendly software to market sometime in 2014.
The announcement came at MWC 2013 in Barcelona, where Sony and Telefonica revealed a multi-year deal for the latter to stock the former's Android-based Xperia devices in territories around the world.
With the news, Sony becomes the fifth company to commit to Firefox OS devices, with LG, Huawei, ZTE and Alcatel also in on the act.
Premium Sony experience
Earlier today, Chinese manufacturer ZTE became the first company to reveal a Firefox-based handset with its 3.5-inch, entry-level ZTE Open device, which will go on sale later this year.
However, Sony's entry into the arena promises a more premium experience, with the company underlining the 'great potential' of Mozilla's mobile offering.
"At Sony Mobile we continue to evaluate innovative technologies that can help deliver the premium user experiences that Sony's consumers expect," said Bob Ishida, deputy CEO and head of products business group at Sony Mobile Communications.
"Our engineers are now working with Firefox OS Mobile and HTML5, evolving technologies which show great potential. In addition, we continue to work with our operator partners, including Telefónica, on a development project with an ambition to bring a product to market in 2014."
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Nokia's maps and navigation apps spread to more Windows Phones
Nokia announced it's spreading the app love by making its trio of map and navigation apps available across all Windows Phone 8 devices.
Previously only available on Nokia's own Windows Phones, all users can now download the Here Maps, Here Drive Beta, and Here Transit apps.
The three free apps are integrated together to offer users maps, turn-by-turn directions, and public transportation maps, both online and when disconnected from a network.
Offline maps are available for 94 countries, along with interior maps for select locations like airports, stadiums, and malls in over more than countries.
Navigating to a wider audience
Curiously, despite Nokia's commitment to Windows Phone last year, the company launched its trio of Here Maps apps as a single download on iOS.
The iOS arrival conveniently came as Apple's own maps app suffered a rocky start, though it was quickly overshadowed by the launch of Google Maps not long afterward.
While there is still no official Google Maps app for Windows Phone to compete with Nokia's offering, last month the search giant revealed that it will at least optimize the mobile Google Maps site to run in the Internet Explorer mobile browser.
Users looking for a new navigation option on Windows Phone 8 can download the Here Maps, Here Drive Beta, and Here Transit apps from the Windows Store starting today. They are available in the U.S. and U.K. along with Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Spain.
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Updated: webOS finds new home with LG and its Smart TVs, phone a possibility
Among the flurry of news gusting out of MWC 2013 in Barcelona today, LG and HP announced an inked deal to transfer ownership of the open source webOS, opening a whole new world for the largely left for dead OS.
In a joint press release, both companies confirmed LG's purchase of the Palm-created operating system from HP in an agreement of undisclosed details.
After ditching the webOS-based TouchPad, HP is allowing the system to live on with a new owner, though perhaps not in the guise consumers would have expected.
LG's plans for its purchase, at least to start, will center on the living room.
"To support its next-generation Smart TV technology, LG has entered into a definitive agreement with HP to acquire the source code, associated documentation, engineering talent and related websites associated with webOS," the press release read.
webOS possibilities
In addition to the aforementioned, LG will also pick up licenses under HP's intellectual property, including patents from Palm that cover the fundamental operating system and user interface technologies.
TV is LG's first focus, but according to Samuel Chang, vice president/general manager of Innovation and Smart TV at LG, the company isn't ruling out other options, including phones.
"We see usage in things like digital signage and digital display technology, but we will keep our eyes open on other device opportunities," he told TechRadar.
Chang said that among the benefits of webOS for TV, the card user interface will likely make its way into LG's Smart TV technologies. While there won't be a webOS-based TV from LG this year, it will come very soon, Chang said.
HP, meanwhile, retains ownership of Palm's cloud computing assets, including talent, infrastructure, source code and contracts. Senior Vice President Martin Resau told TechRadar on the same call as Chang that HP will be able to utilize LG's webOS advancements.
"We even hope to co-innovate on certain parts," Resau, who also ran HP's webOS unit, said.
While LG has a new system to play with, the SVP explained that strategically, it makes sense for HP to focus its energies on cloud for enterprise use while LG develops webOS.
And Android?
LG has enjoyed a tight relationship with Google when it comes to developing Android-based televisions, so the webOS agreement is, on the surface, somewhat curious.
However, Chang explained the purchase and use of webOS won't change the LG and Google TV dynamic.
"We will continue to support that product, and our relationship does not change with [the purchase] of webOS," he said.
Instead, the move is part of a multi-platform strategy that LG plans to continue implementing.
With the deal, which the execs said has been in the works for about six months, LG plans to add Sunnyvale, Calif. and San Francisco locations to its existing R&D cites. It's already set up shop in the U.S. in San Jose, Calif. and Chicago.
Under the agreement, LG will assume stewardship of the open source projects of Open webOS and Enyo. And Palm users need not fret they'll be left in the lurch: HP will continue to support them.
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Hands-on review: MWC 2013: LG Optimus G Pro
There's a new king at the top of the mobile tree over at the Korean firm as the LG Optimus G Pro struts its stuff at MWC 2013.
Taking over from the LG Optimus G, the Optimus G Pro was officially announced back in January but this is the first chance we've had to get hands on with the new flagship device.
LG says the Optimus G Pro will be available in global markets, although it's bad news for anyone living in the UK as the Korean firm has already confirmed it won't be heading that way.
The LG Optimus G Pro comes equipped with an excellent 5.5-inch full HD IPS display which delivers an eye popping 400ppi, meaning everything looks stunning.
This puts the Optimus G Pro firmly in competition with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Huawei Ascend Mate and ZTE Grand Memo in the ever evolving phablet war.
That screen is backed up by a beefy 1.7GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM which sees Android Jelly Bean zip along at a rate of knots making for a pleasing and efficient user experience.
Thanks to that 5.5-inch display the Optimus G Pro is a pretty large device measuring 150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm and weighing in at 160g.
LG has taken steps to make it more manageable for one handed use with a slender bezel running down each side of the display helping you wrap your fingers round the device.
Something which detracts from the Optimus G Pro from a design perspective is the use of plastic, as we're seeing premium handsets such as the iPhone 5, HTC One and Sony Xperia Z sporting classier materials these days.
The gloss finish of the plastic also means that the Optimus G Pro is a pretty slippery customer in the hand offering up very little in the way of grip and we would be concerned about dropping this behemoth.
It's also tricky to hit the power/lock key on the right and the volume rocker and quick key buttons on the left side of the G Pro when holding it in one hand, and we found ourselves employing both mitts when it came to adjusting the volume or unlocking.
The responsive touchscreen meant we were able to merrily skip through homescreens and app list without issue and applications opened up almost immediately on the Optimus G Pro.
LG has added a few touches as part of its Android overlay including quick settings toggles in the notification bar allowing you to easily control Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC.
QSlide also makes an appearance on the LG Optimus G Pro, allowing you to have multiple applications open at the same time on the expansive 5.5-inch display, which is prefect it you need to read a document while replying to an email, or need make a quick calculation in the middle of a text message.
Video playback on the Optimus G Pro is very impressive and HD movies look excellent on the large screen which also boasts decent viewing angles allowing your friends to huddle round and watch the action.
Battery fans will be pleased to hear that the LG Optimus G Pro comes with a removable 3,140mAh juice pack, which will be in high demand thanks to the HD screen and 4G network capabilities.
The Optimus G Pro is also blessed in the camera department boasting a 13MP lens and single LED flash on its rear, while round the front you get a 2.1MP camera for video calls and self portraits.
As with the rest of the handset, shutter speed is rapid and there's a decent range of modes and settings in the camera app to keep budding photographers busy.
Google Chrome and the stock Android browser both make an appearance on the Optimus G Pro, offering up a slick, fast and visually impressive web experience which you can take on the road thanks to the LTE compatibility.
Early Verdict
The Optimus G Pro is an impressive handset offering up super slick Android Jelly Bean and a top notch range of features.
It gives the likes of the Galaxy Note 2 and Xperia Z some serious food for thought and it could go on to be a pretty decent success as LG looks to turn its ship around off the back of a successful Nexus 4 period.
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Hands-on review: MWC 2013: LG Optimus L7 2
The LG Optimus L7 2 finds itself in a peculiar position as it sits at the top of the L-Series 2 range, but it's still a budget device.
LG is refreshing its bottom end offering at MWC 2013 with a trio of new devices taking over from their namesakes (minus the number 2) which launched at the same show last year.
All three are expected to launch during the second quarter of this year in markets across the world, and the Optimus L7 2 has been confirmed as coming to the UK, but it will arrive a bit later than the Optimus L5 2 and Optimus L3 2.
LG reckons the Optimus L7 II will retail for around £150-£160 (around $225-$240/AU$220-AU$235) SIM free, with contract prices likely to be around the £15 - £20 per month mark.
At first look the LG Optimus L7 2 could be mistaken for a premium handset thanks to its smart design, with the rounded corners reminding us a little of the Samsung Galaxy S3, only not quite as large.
Pick it up and you'll immediately recognise that relatively cheap plastic feel and the lack of any significant weight goes further to reveal this isn't a top end device.
It's still comfortable to hold though and an even balance makes it easy to manipulate in one hand, although we would have preferred the back to be slightly more curved to give a snugger fit in our palm.
There's a power/lock key on the right side of the handset, while on the left you get a volume rocker switch and an additional quick key - all of which are easy to hit whether you're holding the Optimus L7 2 in your right or left hand.
The quick key also features on the Optimus L5 II and you can programme this button to launch the app of your choosing, plus you can set it to act as the shutter key when in the camera app.
It's a useful feature to have and one we reckon we'd use a lot if it was on our current smartphone (currently a HTC One X, since you ask).
On the front of the LG Optimus L7 2 there is a 4.3-inch IPS display with a relatively mediocre 480 x 800 resolution, but it's bright, clear and perfectly functional.
There's a 1GHz dual-core processor and 768MB of RAM to run the action on screen, which consists of the Android Jelly Bean operating system.
Everything runs without a hitch and while it may not be as slick and speedy as the top of the range handsets, the LG Optimus L7 2 has a pleasing user experience.
LG has applied a basic overlay to Android which sees the addition of manufacturer specific apps and a range of quick settings in the notification bar allowing you to toggle features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC.
In terms of LG specific apps the Optimus L7 II comes equipped with Quick Memo which allows you to draw or write on top of any screen you're currently viewing, just in case you need to jot down a quick message.
While Quick Memo also features on the other two handsets in the L-Series 2 range, the more powerful Optimus L7 2 comes with a couple of other goodies, the first of which is QSlide.
QSlide allows you to access another application while watching a movie, with the video becoming a transparent layer on the display, with a toggle to adjust the opacity depending on the other task you want to perform.
The LG Optimus L7 2 handles the transition from video player to transparent multi-tasking with just a second load time and there was no hint of slow down as we navigated around the phone with our video still playing in a ghostly manner over the top - impressive
Another handy addition is the Q Translate app which is capable of reading 60 different languages and then translating the text for your delectation.
In online mode you're able to convert whole sentences to your native tongue, but if data connection evades you the offline mode will still translate single words.
There's only 4GB of internal storage on the Optimus L7 2 which is a little disappointing, but luckily LG has included a microSD slot under the back cover allowing you to expand your memory options.
Also under that back cover is a 2,400mAh battery which should hopefully give you a decent amount of life, but we'll put that to the test during our in-depth review.
Round the back you have an 8MP camera, which is impressive at this price point, accompanied by a single LED flash while on the front there's a VGA snapper for video calls.
Shutter speed, as with the other two L-Series handsets, is a little sluggish on the Optimus L7 2 but the amusingly named "Cheese Shutter" once again doesn't fail to bring a smile to our face as we talk to the phone to take a picture.
Image quality is pretty decent, as you'd expect from an 8MP snapper and in the camera department at least the Optimus L7 2 can certainly challenge the devices in the tier above it.
The decently sized responsive touchscreen means that the default keyboard is well spaced and easy to type on, with a good level of accuracy, spell check and next word prediction.
We were a little let down by the internet browsing capabilities on the Optimus L7 II though, with pages taking several seconds to load up.
We hope it was due to the congested Wi-Fi network the handset was connected up to, but the jury's out until we put the handset through our thorough review process.
Early Verdict
The LG Optimus L7 2 is a surprisingly capable budget smartphone which offers up plenty of features for not a lot of cash.
We were impressed with its 8MP camera, stylish design and smooth operation, although web surfing could do with a bit of a boost.
Out of the three new L-Series 2 handsets the LG Optimus L7 2 is our favourite and we reckon it will offer consumers pretty decent value for money when it lands later this year.
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Hands-on review: MWC 2013: Asus Padfone Infinity
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So this is it: Asus' latest and greatest Padfone.
Far from being the joke the concept was initially seen as, Asus is serious about its tablet and accompanying slot-in phone and has re-tooled it for 4G LTE, Android 4.2 and provided it with a cracking Full HD display.
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Indeed, display tech is a key new ingredient in the Infinity mix – the phone part boasts a Super IPS 5-inch retina-beating display at 441ppi which, while looks stunning, doesn't appear that much better than any other top end Android handset (hello, Samsung Galaxy S3). The iPhone's retina display is 326ppi, if you want to know the figures.
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As with the Padfone 2 (which is coming to more countries including the UK), the slide in and out motion works exceedingly well both in terms of the physical movement – it's completely secure and rubber gromits mean the phone doesn't fall out – and the software, which switches from one screen to the other when you dock and un-dock.
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The Infinity was announced by Asus' Jonny Shih on stage at MWC 2013, where he was joined by Qualcomm's Paul Jacobs – the new device packs a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU and uses the US firm's third-generation LTE tech.
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This thing is fast; there's absolutely no lag but then you'd expect that with a quad-core chip. Asus reckons it's possible to get 19 hours of 3G talk time out of the device when it's all fully charged.
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The Padfone Station dock converts the phone into a 10.1-inch tablet with 1,920 x 1,200 resolution. It can also be used as a battery pack, which gives you three times the battery life and it also has its own 1MP front-mounted camera and a micro USB port.
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The phone/tablet combo has the same-style aluminium unibody design housing as the Padfone 2. In terms of the other key specs there is 2GB of RAM, plus NFC and 64GB of flash memory.
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The tablet is able to replicate many of the phone's functions and also has a dialler. Undocking takes you to the same app on the phone. The tablet can also output 1080p Full HD video via an adapter for its micro USB socket.
The Infinity can also capture 8 still photos per second in burst mode.
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Asus previewed the Padfone Infinity includes Echo, essentially the same as Apple's Siri, but with some typically Asus effects. Say 'cheese' and it will take a photo of you.
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Early verdict
The Padfone is a thing of beauty. It's not for everyone but many of us do have a use-case for it. f you have a tablet yet find yourself using more things on your phone then Asus believes you'll be in its Padfone queue.
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The device is certainly a looker and does have a lot to offer - the smartphone itself is superb. It does have a premium price point of 999 Euros though - $1325 or AU$1287 - and so it will be interesting to see if Asus can shift them. In the UK, Asus is launching the Padfone 2 for now, though it hints the Padfone Infinity will arrive - probably around £799.
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(ISC)2 says info security pros in short demand
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Business is suffering from a global shortage of information security professionals, according to (ISC)2 the not-for-profit organisation that represents the group.
Its sixth Global Information Security Workforce Study has shown that the shortage is due to a combination of business conditions, executives not fully understanding the need for security, and an inability to locate qualified information security professionals.
A survey of more than 12,000 information security professionals has shown that hactivism (43%), cyber-terrorism (44%), and hacking (56%) are among the top concerns identified by respondents, yet more than half – 56 % – feel their security organisations are short-staffed.
A significant number of organisations (15%) are not able to put a timeframe on their ability to recover from an attack, even though service downtime is one of the highest priorities for nearly three-quarters of respondents.
The survey also reveals a major shortage of software development professionals trained in security, and that application security vulnerabilities still rank highest among security concerns – a trend identified in the 2011 GISWS.
Threats from malware and mobile devices are also at the top of the list, and cloud security, bring your own device (BYOD), and social networking are reported as major concerns in terms of newer security threats.
John Colley, Managing Director EMEA of (ISC)2, says: "This survey shows that we need to rethink our approach to the skills challenge. We need to look at the problem from the top down, not the bottom up, starting with end users (including the general public), moving on to application and systems development security, as well as tackling the more traditional areas of securing the infrastructure.
"Without doing this, we will never solve the threats presented by mobile devices, cloud security and BYOD.
"It is disturbing to see that application vulnerability is the top concern, while only 12% of information security professionals are involved in it. We need to take a holistic view of the challenge, adopting a cooperative and concerted effort across academia, government and the information security profession to curtail the problem."
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MWC 2013: LG shows off Wi-Fi-friendly Ultra HD transmission tech
If you happen to have some Ultra HD resolution video or games on your phone, you're in luck: LG has developed the tech you need to transmit it to an Ultra HD TV without any wires and it's showing it off at MWC 2013.
The snappily named Wireless Ultra HD Transmission tech uses Wi-Fi to beam the 4K content between devices while reducing the amount of power used by your phone.
The tech works over Wi-Fi and promises minimal lag and no data loss. LG boasts that it delivers "flawless visuals" thanks to the fact that videos are automatically matched to the receiving TV set's screen resolution as you transmit them.
Power up
LG says it actually uses less than half the power of comparable tech by relying less on the phone's CPU - unfortunately the company hasn't exactly been illuminating on what picks up that slack but we hope to find out more on the show floor.
The company is pretty pleased with the new tech, though, with Dr Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG's mobile arm, exclaiming: "With the development of this cutting-edge technology, LG again confirms its industry leadership in the area of display and mobile convergence for a truly enjoyable viewing experience."
Yes, all that viewing we've been doing until now has been a real nightmare.
No word on when we'll see this next-gen tech make its way onto our smartphones (or smart TVs) but you'll likely need to invest in an LG phone and an LG TV to take advantage.
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Dell reveals Latitude 10 business version
Dell has launched a new version of Latitude 10 tablet computer with a security configuration aimed at the business market.
It has been given a dual-authentication function, with an integrated smart card and fingerprint reader, to add to its end point security management suite.
The suite uses the readers in the Latitutude 10 as well as third party security devices. A Dell wizard supports the setup.
Other security features include the Trusted Platform Module 1.2 hardware, to allow networks to check the integrity of devices, and Microsoft BitLocker Drive Encryption. There is also Computrace Support for stealth tracking software to help recover lost or stolen devices, and a Noble Lock slot.
Right tablet for the job
"Other tablets being deployed in business environments can cause more harm than good in the long run with unforeseen management costs and unsecure data protection and access," said Neil Hand, Vice President of Tablets and Performance PCs, End User Computing at Dell.
"With Latitude 10 enhanced security configuration, our customers will be able to give their workers the mobility and productivity they want while having the peace of mind they can easily enforce and adhere to some of the most rigorous security regulations."
The move is part of Dell's effort to make itself a serious presence in the market for business tablets. While the Latitude 10 has been aimed at the education and consumer markets as much as small business, the company believes the extra focus on security will help to strengthen its appeal to the latter.
"Small businesses are asking how they can enable workers to move around, access data, meet compliance regulation and keep company information safe," says Brett Hansen, Executive Director, Client Software Planning and Management for Dell.
He says the company's recent acquisition of security software firm Credant Technologies has made it possible to introduce a new approach to data encryption on the Latitude 10.
Encryption made easier
Data kept on the Latitude's hard drive can be kept to 128 bit encyrption and shared in that state with other devices. IT administrators can specify the people with whom a user can share different data sets, or allow them the freedom to share some data with they consider appropriate.
Dell has attempted to reduce the effort involved in programming the Latitude 10 to match compliance requirements of a specific business or the country within which it works. It has provided a range of templates for the appropriate level of security, although these can be modified by administrators.
"It's provided a lot of restrictions, based on our understanding of the laws of different places and their regulations for various industries," Hansen says.
The Latitude 10, which is priced at £586 in the UK market, is also enabled for the transfer of data to Android or iOS devices.
Dell has introduced a longer lasting version of the tablet's battery, capable of working for up to 20 hours without a recharge rather than the standard 10.
It is making replacement batteries quickly available from its customer services, priced at £17 for the two-cell, 30W version, and £40 for the four-cell 59W version. It says these prices make it economical to carry a spare.
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MWC 2013: ZTE Grand Memo officially launched with big screen action
The ZTE Grand Memo has been officially unveiled at MWC 2013 in Barcelona, with the super sized phone ready to take on the "phablet" market.
With a 5.7-inch display the Grand Memo is set to go head to head with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Huawei Ascend Mate.
The display sports a full HD resolution and the Grand Memo also packs a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 13MP camera, Android Jelly Bean and a 3,200mAh battery into a frame which is just 8.5mm thick.
Super fast speeds
4G connectivity is included in the ZTE Grand Memo along with Wi-Fi 5.0GHz, providing you access to some speedy web connections.
Dolby Digital is incorporated into the handset, to deliver the sound quality which apparently does justice to the large, full HD display found on this handset.
The ZTE Grand Memo will be available later this year, but exact release date along with a price is currently unknown.
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Hands-on review: MWC 2013: LG Optimus F7
Possibly the worst-kept secret in midrange mediocrity, the 4G LG Optimus F7 was officially announced by LG last week. It's a midrange handset that comes packing some useful features in a handy size.
Amusingly, this midrange smartphone comes with a very similar spec sheet to the supposedly high-end Motorola Razr HD – namely a 4.7-inch 720p display, dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and an 8MP camera. The Optimus F7, though, packs 2GB of memory to the Razr HD's 1GB.
That may actually be an unfair comparison, because the F7 looks and feels like a lower-tier handset in exactly the same way that the Kevlar-backed Motorola does not. Its plastic shell positively screams compromise, though there is some lovely chrome trimming to be found on the edges. We like chrome trimming.
The LG cannot match the HD's AMOLED screen either, but that doesn't mean it's bad - it's the same resolution but was noticeably less vivid. Viewing angles weren't as nice but with the price difference we're probably talking here, it isn't half bad.
The F7 throws Jelly Bean around easily enough and there wasn't much sign of that 'just OK' CPU holding it back. We were able to swoosh in and out of all the menus without any sign of delay and the camera was fast and responsive too. Apps loaded quickly and it was able to switch between them easily enough,
The F7 will go on sale later this year - certainly before the summer - though word is that it might never make it to the UK shores at all.
Early Verdict
It looks like a decent midrange effort that wouldn't be out of place at a tech show - just don't expect leading features.
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Asus Padfone 2 UK release date finally announced
Asus has finally given the Asus Padfone 2 a UK release date of sorts, with pre-orders opening on Friday March 1.
While its successor was shown off at MWC 2013 today, we're not expecting to see the Padfone Infinity hit the shelves for a good while yet so if you're keen to enjoy a phone in a tablet, then the Padfone 2 is your best bet.
Unfortunately, it's not a cheap buy. To get the Padfone 2 with its Padstation dock, you'll have to shell out £599; but you do get a choice of black or white, so there is that.
Is it a Pad or is it a phone?
You're getting a pretty nifty device for the cash too - in our hands on Asus Padfone 2 review we advised that you think of it as both a smartphone and tablet which means you only need the one data plan for both.
Then there's the grunt: a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 4.7-inch Super IPS+ display and a hefty 2140mAh battery (if you opt for the higher-capacity model).
Our full Asus Padfone 2 review is in the works but in the meantime you can check out our comprehensive hands on which may help you make up your mind.
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Updated: MWC 2013: what you need to know
MWC 2013 has kicked off and TechRadar is at the show checking out the hottest handsets and tablets.
For a complete rundown of all the latest news check out our dedicated MWC 2013 channel. If you'd rather just peruse the highlights, then keep on reading: all the key announcements and hands-ons are below.
Asus at MWC 2013
Those hybrid-obsessed folk at Asus have turned up at MWC with another tablet that's also a phone and now a phone that's also a tablet.
One of these devices is the Asus Padfone Infinity and the other is the Asus Fonepad. Padfone. Fonepad. Fadphone. Where were we?
We now hear that Asus is now working on a 27" gaming monitor that you can hold to your ear to make calls, which will be marketed as the Asus Phonitor.
Ford at MWC 2013
Ford rolled up at MWC to announce that Spotify is coming to the car dashboard. It'll work with Ford Sync allowing you to play music wirelessly through your car's stereo system and control it via voice commands.
Spotify for Ford Sync has been designed to integrate the two services as seamlessly as possible. So there is no separate app, and nothing you need to install on your phone other than the regular Spotify Mobile app.
For more, check out First look: Spotify in Ford Sync
HP at MWC 2013
HP seems to be over the whole TouchPad, webOS pain now and it's instead joined the Android gang, bringing the Slate 7 Android Jelly Bean-powered budget tablet to the party.
Set for an April release, the 7-inch tab features a 1.6GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 processor, a slightly low-resolution 1024 x 600 screen, 1GB RAM and 8GB of built-in storage.
Huawei at MWC 2013
Huawei isn't messing around - it's rocked up with what's apparently the world's fastest smartphone, the Ascend P2. It's the first smartphone to feature LTE CAT 4, which Hauwei claims will allow the Ascend P2 to deliver some blistering web browsing speeds, faster than the CAT 3 toting Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE and iPhone 5.
Breaking into the smartphone market hasn't been easy, admitted Huawei, saying "We're an ambitious young brand which plans to be one of the top 100 companies in the world in the coming years."
So what did we make of the Ascend P2 when we got our hands on it? TechRadar phones and tablets writer John McCann found it to be "a solid mid to high-end smartphone with some decent features and a pleasing array of specs", though he felt that it doesn't have the build quality of the iPhone 5 or HTC One, nor the same snappiness as the Galaxy S3.
Read our Hands on: Huawei Ascend P2 review for the full lowdown.
Lenovo at MWC 2013
Lenovo continues with its product naming convention of stringing together some random numbers and letters, with three new tablets on show at MWC.
There's the top-end IdeaTab S6000, the mid-range A3000 and, at the bottom of the spec pile, the A1000. As Kate Solomon points out, they're fairly uninspiring but probably fine.
LG at MWC 2013
Bizarrely, LG didn't bring any phones to MWC but instead used the venue to launch a range of washing machines.
Actually, that's a lie. What it did bring was the LG Optimus L3 2, the successor to the original Optimus L3 which launched at MWC last year.
It's a dinky little phone, which TechRadar's John McCann got his dinky little hands onto. "The LG Optimus L3 2 seems to be a well equipped smartphone for its bargain basement price, and could well prove to be a popular choice for parents looking for a first handset for their little ones," he wrote in our hands on.
Click through to our Hands on: LG Optimus L3 2 review for more.
We also got our hands on LG's mid-range Android handset, the LG Optimus L5 2. Sitting just above the Optimus L3 2, the L5 2 has an improved screen and battery when compared with its predecessor, the L5.
There's no doubt that this is a budget phone, but it's stylish, well equipped and affordable.
Get more of our thoughts on this phone in our Hands on: LG Optimus L5 2 review.
Motorola at MWC 2013
The Motorola Razr HD came out in the US at the end of last year (where it was known as the Droid Razr HD) and now it's apparently headed to the UK. It's rather late to the party and as such the specs aren't anything to write home about but it's a capable handset which promises a decent battery life.
Tempted? Then hit our Hands on: Motorola Razr HD review for our early verdict.
Mozilla at MWC 2013
Mozilla has given a preview of the first devices to run its HTML5-based Firefox OS. The phones shown include the ZTE Open and the Alcatel OneTouch Fire, both powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips. LG and Huawei handsets will follow.
Designed for developing markets, the first Firefox OS devices will be available to consumers in Brazil, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Venezuela.
-420-100.JPG "The Open runs Mozilla's HTML5-based Firefox OS")
We got some alone time with the rather uninspiringly named ZTE Open, which TechRadar deputy editor Dan Grabham described as "a colourful, cheap option" that's "hardly iOS or Android-beating in terms of feature set". It's not an OS that we're likely to see on a high-end handset any time soon, then.
More thoughts and photos are in our Hands on: ZTE Open review.
Nokia at MWC 2013
Nokia brought a couple of cheap and cheerful phones to Barcelona, namely the 105 and 301, which feature, well, not much really. The 105 can be picked up for about the same price as a takeaway pizza and will apparently last a month on one charge, while the Nokia 301 builds on the 105's lowly specs by upping the screen size to 2.4-inches and chucking in a 3.2MP camera.
While we initially thought these handsets would be for emerging markets only, it turns out that Nokia also hopes you'll want one as a back-up phone. Good luck with that, Nokia!
You won't be surprised by the 105's specs, then. As John McCann writes in our hands on: "There's no camera, app store or social network integration, but what you do get is a phone which will make calls, handle text messages and even boasts a headphone jack if you fancy listening to some tunes."
Read more in our Hands on: Nokia 105 review.
Got a bit more to spend? Then why not splash out on the Nokia 301? There's no touchscreen but you do get a low resolution 2.4-inch display which sits above a 12-button keypad.
"As with the 105, the Nokia 301 will likely do very well in emerging markets," writes our John McCann, adding: "With the advent of low-cost and feature packed Android handsets in Europe it will probably struggle to break through."
Read more in our Hands on: Nokia 301 review.
So it was the Nokia Lumia 720 that caught our eye on the Nokia stand. The new handset joins Nokia's Lumia range, slotting in around the Lumia 620, 820 and 920 for Windows Phone 8.
-420-100.JPG "The Lumia 720 is a snappy performer")
We sent deputy editor Dan Grabham off to check it out, and here's what he said: "The Lumia 720 doesn't have the high end features we've come to expect from the more expensive Lumias but it does have a decent spec sheet for something that's bound to be available on next-to-nothing contracts."
For further thoughts, and a whole load of pics, check out our Hands on: Nokia Lumia 720 review.
Samsung at MWC 2013
Samsung announced the long-rumoured Galaxy Note 8 tablet on Sunday ahead of the show's opening after it was photographed on the Samsung stand.
While we got some specs (8-inch 1280 x 800 Super Clear LCD display, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, 1.6GHz ARM-quad-core processor and 2GB RAM) Samsung has so far neglected to name a price. We do know that the release date has been set for Q2 2013, though.
TechRadar's phones and tablets editor Gareth Beavis got a good chunk of time with the supersized Note, where he noted (ahem): "The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a great device that finally gives the Korean firm a chance to compete at the 8-inch size range with a tablet that doesn't skimp on specs". However, while Samsung remains tight-lipped on the price he points out that it's hard for us to give a firmer opinion at this stage.
Read our full thoughts, and the price that we'd like to see the Note 8 debut at, in our Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 review.
Sony at MWC 2013
We were impressed with the Sony Xperia Z phone when we recently reviewed it and so we were delighted to see Sony break out the Sony Xperia Tablet Z, a 10.1-inch device which is very capable of taking on the likes of the iPad and Galaxy Tabs on both specs and price.
As Gareth Beavis writes in our hands on review: "Sony is going all out with the bigger brother to the Xperia Z, offering a host of top end specs to convince iPad and Nexus lovers to look again.
"It's got pretty much everything you could want on an Android tablet these days, starting with a pretty up-to-date version of the OS (Android 4.1.2) and a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad core chip, clocked at 1.5GHz."
So should you buy one? Head over to our Hands on: Sony Xperia Tablet Z review to get our early verdict.
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Below are the rumours that we reported on before the show kicked off.
February is always the most exciting month of the year for mobile phone fans, as it's when the entire phone industry has a big, boozy party somewhere in Europe and shows off the new phones and tablets it'll be launching over the spring and summer.
The show has been dominated in recent years by the vast number of new Android models that continuously swamp the market, with the big players like HTC, Samsung and Sony using the event to thrill punters with their newest ranges.
Last year saw HTC unleash its impressive One series, LG debuted the Optimus 4X HD and even Nokia decided to go large at the tech event for once, showing off its bonkers 808 PureView model complete with 41MP camera.
In short, if you care about the mobile arms race, MWC is the most exciting time of the year.
Previously held in Barcelona's palatial Fira Montjuic halls, this year's MWC is switching venue to a less glamorous (but more convenient for stressed journalists and marketing managers) spot a little nearer the city's airport. And in a building twice the size. Imagine how many cheap Android tablets it'll be able to contain this year.
MWC 2013 kicks off on 25 February. We'll be there, sobbing into a laptop in an unlit corner somewhere. Here's what we're expecting to see from the big names of mobile.
LG
Back at MWC 2012, LG wowed attendees with the Optimus 4X HD, a powerful 4.7-inch phone that helped signal the start of the race to stick quad-core processors in mobiles.
It also showed off the Optimus 3D Max and the oddball Optimus Vu, but the less said about those the better, as with 2011's reveal of the original Optimus 3D.
As for 2013, LG's already carried out a bit of teasing, with the new Optimus G Pro set to be shown offm which is what we assume the brand was referring to when it announced plans to show off a "tier one" smartphone at MWC 2013.
We've also got a hint about four new phone categories, an official reveal of the LG L Series and a reboot of the F Series too. All very exciting.
Given that the original Optimus G was a quad-core monster that LG soon rebranded as the Nexus 4, any sequel arriving so soon is unlikely to be much of a leap above the first phone, as even in 2013 we'd still be impressed by a quad-core phone with a 4.7-inch display.
But has the Nexus 4 done enough to make LG a respected brand name and a major player?
Regardless of whether LG has done enough, the Korean firm is promising a "breakthrough will be made at MWC 2013", where a new range of devices will be announced.
Sony
Sony's just announced a new flagship model at this year's CES tech show, so it's unlikely to have anything hugely new and exciting at MWC. But it will give the media a chance to play with its new Xperia Z, the exciting, quad-core, 5-inch monster the hardware maker is set to launch this March.
In fact, it looks like Sony's following the same hardware launch plan as last year. In 2012, the Xperia S was announced at January's CES event prior to MWC, with Sony using MWC to launch the Xperia P and U, a couple of smaller models based on the same design.
We've already heard a rumour of the Sony Xperia SP (oh good, more double lettering) and of course there's that Xperia Tablet Z to be checking out as well if it decides to pop up on European shores.
HTC
HTC unleashed the One series of phones at last year's MWC, showing off the One V, One S and the glorious One X as it tried to reinvigorate its line up.
But in 2011 it disappointed us a little, showing minor upgrades of its old HTC Desire range, the awful Wildfire S and the niche Salsa and ChaCha models to a very, very quiet fanfare. In fact, it wasn't even a fanfare, just a mouse playing Three Blind Mice on the recorder.
We've already seen loads, and loads, and loads on the HTC One - the company's new flagship model - when it was announced pre-MWC, so we're not expecting to hear any more from the Taiwanese firm this time around.
Loads of companies will be showing phones of a similar size and power level, but we'll always have a soft spot for HTC's lovely old Sense interface - and with the new Sense 5.0, there's a lot to get excited about.
Samsung
Samsung disappointed the nerds of the world last year, when it opted to announce its flagship Galaxy S3 model a couple of months later at its own private event. But even if it repeats that trick this year and doesn't show off the Galaxy S4, it's guaranteed to be bringing along plenty of other Android phones.
Last year Samsung underwhelmed us all by using MWC to announce the Samsung Galaxy S Wi-Fi, a Galaxy S2-styled media player, plus the rather odd and niche Galaxy Beam, complete with integrated media projector.
So either we see the Galaxy S4 and Samsung has a stormer, or it brings along some cheaper models and we write it off. And it very much looks like the latter, with the Samsung Galaxy Fame and the Galaxy Young hardly setting our tech hearts all a-quiver, and the S4 set for a reveal later in the year.
However, there's a small chance we may see something really exciting. Samsung's working on hardware powered by the new Tizen OS, a supposed Android rival that Samsung claims it'll be bringing to market some time in 2013. Good luck with that.
The latest news from the Samsung rumour mill is that we'll see a new tablet which will slide into the Note family, currently made up of the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Note 10.1.
Reports suggest that the slate in question is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, which will feature an 8-inch Super Clear LCD screen, 2GB of RAM, a 5MP camera and a 4,600mAh battery - and seems to have been already revealed too.
It looks like Samsung may be planning on going a bit tablet crazy at MWC 2013, with other reports suggesting it's readying a new range of slates to fall under the Galaxy Tab 3 banner.
We could see three tablets slide into this new family, with 7-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch models all making an appearance as the Korean firm looks to solidify its offering across the market.
Nokia
Nokia's had a wide selection of phones at last year's MWC, showing off the bonkers Nokia 808 PureView and its 41MP sensor, alongside the rather less exciting budget Windows Phone powered Lumia 610 and the high-end Lumia 900.
One Nokia-based rumour claims it's working on a slimmer update of the Lumia 920, which would use an aluminium body to reduce the weight of its hefty flagship phone. Nokia's traditionally preferred to show phones off at its own events, so it's hard to guesstimate whether it'll have new stuff at MWC or not. It's a maverick. It makes its own rules.
More rumours are pointing towards the famed 41MP camera landing on its first Lumia handset which is apparently code named Eos. However, more recent tips say that Nokia might be bringing four phones to the show, but only two of these will be smartphones and will be more focused on the budget range, which means we could see the Nokia Lumia 520 and Lumia 720 make an appearance.
One thing's for sure: there won't be a tablet.
Huawei
Huawei's really made a name for itself in the UK over the last year, thanks to its winning budget Ascend G300 and the recent Ascend G330 update, plus the powerful Ascend P1.
At last year's MWC it announced the impressive looking Ascend D Quad, a 4.5-inch model in a slim 8.9mm case, alongside a 10.1-inch version of its MediaPad tablet. Neither of which made it to the UK officially, so we were left a bit disappointed by its commitment levels.
Huawei's also just announced a tasty pair of smartphones at CES in the form of the Ascend D2 and Ascend Mate, so it's likely to elaborate more on these at MWC 2013 rather than announce many new phones. It's recently stated "we will be launching two more exciting innovative products at MWC 2013," according to CEO Richard Yu.
It's likely to be the Huawei Ascend P2 if the leaks are to be believed, with a five inch phone and a quad core processor on the cards - or is that an octo-core processor instead?
RIM
MWC 2013 is going to be absolutely critical for RIM. The troubled BlackBerry maker is revealing its BB10 hardware and software at a standalone event at the end of January, so MWC will be a chance for the masses to properly fiddle with the new OS and the two phones it'll initially be running on.
Last year's MWC was a bit of a disaster for RIM. All it managed to show was the BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 OS update for the super-flop tablet. This year it ought to have significantly more buzz surrounding its presence, although it should have already announced the phones that will be running BB10 by the time we stumble off the plane onto Spanish tarmac.
ZTE
MWC 2013 should be another good year for the budget makers, as we're expecting to see bigger screens and more powerful processors hitting the cheaper end of the market.
Last year ZTE announced the ZTE PF112, a 4.5-inch device said to be running on the dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset, but that pretty much sunk without trace and is yet to go on sale.
And the ZTE Era, a promising 4.3-inch quad-core model, is also missing presumed never to hit the UK.
One MWC 2012 phone that did arrive was the Mimosa X, which ZTE renamed the Grand X for the UK. It was a bit of a disappointing mid-range model that undid much of the maker's hype.
So don't get too excited by what the ZTE man is waving around, it might just be a balsa wood model that'll never see the light of day.
In fact, ZTE's started making its pledges for 2013 already, with the promising ZTE Grand S just announced at CES. It's another member of the 5-inch / 1080p / quad-core club, which ought to be a big winner... if it ever appears on the shelves.
It seems ZTE may have given the game away though with a couple of revealing hashtags which accompanied its press invite; #ZTEGrandMemo and #ZTEMozilla.
Rumours suggest the Grand Memo will be the Chinese firm's answer to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Huawei Ascend Mate, while the ZTE Mozilla could be the first handset to run the HTML 5 based Firefox OS.
And it's also pledged to be the first brand with a Tegra 4 phone on the shelves, but we're not expecting to see that at Barcelona's finest mobile trade show. Later in the year, power fans, later in the year.
Acer
Niche smartphone maker Acer always has a packed show stand, with the company using MWC 2012 to announce its Liquid Glow models, which were a vast improvement on the Liquid E and Liquid MT it took to MWC 2011.
Since then, Acer's launched a few decent mid-range Android models, like the CloudMobile and Liquid Gallant, although we'd expect to see it make more of a deal about its tablet ranges at MWC this year, seeing as that's where the Android hot money is going these days.
But it looks like we were wrong, given there's going to be a new phone under the banner of the Acer Liquid Z2 appearing in Barcelona's fancy new halls this year.
Asus
Last year's MWC was a big winner for Asus, which updated its winning Transformer tablet range with a couple of impressive quad-core models.
But now, in 2013, flush from its success making the Nexus 7 for Google, we expect Asus to reveal something a little cheaper. Plenty of rumours have suggested it's planning a "$99" Android tablet, which may or may not end up on sale in Europe.
More likely is a new Transformer to add to the range - imagine if the brand made one of THOSE that didn't cost the earth. Plus we love the 'alien' vibe the teaser has got going on.
Asus also made a big deal of its PadFone hybrid at MWC 2012, which teamed a 4.3-inch phone with a bizarre 10-inch docking tablet display. Given the lukewarm reception that oddity received, we'll eat this crusty Dell keyboard if any more phone/tablet hybrids appear this year.
Keep it safe, Asus. People like safe.
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